Be advised that the NPS has issued alerts for this park.
County-wide Burn Ban in Effect until July 8
In keeping with the county-wide burn ban enacted on January 15 and extended on April 9, fires--including charcoal fires--are not permitted within Amistad National Recreation Area. To read the Val Verde County Commissioners Court Order, click "More".
Diablo East Marina Cove, Scuba Cove, and Walkway Access Are Closed
The Diablo East Marina Cove, Scuba Cove, and walkway access are closed because of the presence of excessive docking material, unsafe walkway and dock, and unstable, loose ground. The area will reopen once these hazards have been corrected.
Help Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Infestation
A number of lakes are infested with an array of aquatic invasive species that damage natural ecosystems and waterways. Boaters are advised to Clean, Drain, and Dry all boats and equipment every time they leave the water.
Box Canyon Day Use Area Closed
Due to the recent illegal lighting of a fire in the trash bin, the theft of government signs, and the unauthorized movement of barricades to drive into an area closed to vehicle traffic, the metal gate at the upper end of Box Canyon has now been closed.
Only Left Side of Diablo East and Rough Canyon Boat Ramps Are Open - Rest Are Closed
Due to low water levels, only the left side of Diablo East and Rough Canyon boat ramps are open. Please use caution with Spur 406 and Spur 454 launches, as the water may be too shallow to launch most boats. To see a list of open ramps, click on "more."
An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area consists of the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, a Spanish word meaning "friendship," is known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, and rich cul...
Standard overnight camping is first-come, first-served only and does not take a reservation. However, the group campsite requires a reservation no less than 3 days in advance and no more than 6 months. Link below is for group campsite ONLY.
277 North Campground is generally open year-round and rarely fills up. A boat launch ramp off the campground may be available depending on lake levels. 277 North offers 17 primitive sites, which are first-come, first-served only. Each site has a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill. A group site is available with reservation only. No ground fires are allowed. The sites are suitable for tents or RVs. Vault toilets are available. No drinking water or hookups are available.
Governors Landing Campground is open year-round and rarely fills up, except possibly on holiday weekends. It is suitable for tents and RVs up to 28 feet in length. Governors Landing is the only campground in the park with potable water available, though there are no hookups. This campground has access to some of the most popular swimming areas in the park. Picnicking at vacant sites in Governors Landing Campground is allowed 7am to 3pm. Occupying sites outside these times requires payment of camping fees. This campground provides views of Amistad Reservoir.
Site can be reserved for up to 14 days. Reservations must be made at least three days before date needed and no more than six months ahead of time. There is a $10 cancellation fee and additional fee for late cancellation (after midnight on the first day booked).
Rock Quarry Group Campsite is open year-round and is a limited development campsite that is mostly packed soil. It offers a private space for your group of up to 35 people. Amenities include a cement-based, pavilion-covered picnic area with tables and an accessibility ramp, a grill, trash receptacle, vault toilet and a campfire ring.
Rough Canyon Campground is generally open year-round and is in close proximity to a boat ramp. There may be a camp host on duty in the winter, and a Ranger Station is staffed intermittently. This campground offers 4 primitive sites, each with a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill. The sites are suitable for tents or RVs. Vault toilets are available. No drinking water or hookups are available. Comfort station and running water available nearby at the Ranger Station.
Standard overnight camping is first-come, first-served only and does not take a reservation. However, the group campsite requires a reservation no less than 3 days in advance and no more than 6 months. Link below is for group campsite ONLY.
San Pedro Campground is open year-round and rarely fills to capacity. Of Amistad's campgrounds, it is the best suited for large RVs. This campground is accessed via a 1¼ mile graded, gravel road and offers 34 sites suitable for tents or RVs. There are also 8 walk-in (tent only) sites. Each site has a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill. Ground fires are prohibited. Vault toilets are available. No drinking water or hook-ups.
Spur 406 Campground is generally open year-round and rarely fills up, except possibly on holiday weekends. It may close on occasion due to high water events. A boat launch ramp off the campground may be available depending on lake levels. This campground offers 6 primitive sites, each with a covered picnic table and a BBQ grill. No ground fires are allowed. The sites are suitable for tents or RVs. Vault toilets are available. No drinking water or hookups are available.
Located immediately off U.S. Highway 90 (look for the Visitor Center and flagpole). Parking has 3 designated van accessible, 15 standard, 9 pull-through oversized vehicle / vehicle + trailer spaces. Park is credit/debit card only, including the bookstore. Restrooms available inside Visitor Center at the back, left corner.
The Visitor Center parking lot sits between Highway 90 and the building itself. Behind the flagpole are the glass double doors. To the left of the doors are site bulletins and park maps, also called unigrids. Inside the doors, the staffed welcome desk is to the left, a sofa with bookshelves and coffee table in a nook beyond the desk, and restrooms to the back and left corner with the women's restroom in left corner. There are drinking fountains, one wheelchair or child height (left) and one standard height (right) with water battle filling station built in. The men's restroom is to the right of the drinking fountain, and right of that is a vertical display with various photos that protrudes from the wall into the floor space about 10 feet or more. Around the display is a 3/4s size image of cave paintings at Panther Cave and display cabinets along the wall and in the floor space of ancient Lower Pecos inhabitant replicas. Further into the floorspace are books and other souvenirs in the bookstore. The final thing along the back wall in the right corner of the room is the door to the theater; you will need to ask the desk attendant to start one of the park films for you. The films are fully ADA-compliant, but you may need to ask the attendant to set audio descriptions, if needed. Other informative displays are along the remaining wall.
Black Brush Point is a Day Use Area with a boat ramp. The paved parking lot has 24 standard parking spaces and two suitable for large vehicles or vehicles towing trailers. The day use area includes 5 picnic tables shaded by tin-roofed ramadas. There are both a high-water level and a low-water level ramp; however, location may be closed when lake level is less than 1083 feet above mean sea level (amsl).
Black Brush Point is a Day Use Area with a boat ramp. The paved parking lot has 24 standard parking spaces and two suitable for large vehicles or vehicles towing trailers. The day use area includes 5 picnic tables shaded by tin-roofed ramadas. There are both a high-water level and a low-water level ramp; however, location may be closed when lake level is less than 1083 feet above mean sea level (amsl). Pets allowed when on a 6-ft leash attached to a person or fixed object. Must clean up pet waste and deposit in an outdoor trash can.
One of the more remote parking areas and boat ramps in Amistad National Recreation Area, you will travel about 8 miles on a slow road from Highway 90 through the hamlet of Box Canyon before reaching the boat ramp and packed dirt parking area. The parking area can accommodate oversized vehicles / vehicles + trailer and standard vehicles. The boat ramp will usually close around 1064ft amsl. Pets on 6-foot leash are allowed, and their waste must be cleaned up a put in trash can.
One of the more remote parking areas and boat ramps in Amistad National Recreation Area, you will travel about 8 miles on a slow road from Highway 90 through the hamlet of Box Canyon before reaching the boat ramp and paved parking area. The parking area can accommodate oversized vehicles / vehicles + trailer and standard vehicles. The boat ramp will usually close around 1064ft amsl (above mean sea level). Lake use passes for motorized boats can be purchased at the fee kiosk with a credit/debit card. Pets are allowed if on a 6-foot leash attached to a person or fixed object; waste must be cleaned up and put in outdoor trash can. Vault toilets are available, and a CD3 (Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose) unit is also available to help boaters minimize the risk of contamination. Cell phone signal is not normally available.
While the marina no longer exists, the expansive, paved parking lot still does and is the most popular area for fishing tournaments. It will accommodate 20 large vehicles / those towing trailers and 48 standard vehicles. Two spaces are designated disabled parking. This lot is immediately adjacent to the fish return tube and a restroom facility, and is near hiking trails, a boat ramp, and a Ranger Station.
While the marina no longer exists, the expansive, paved parking lot still does and is the most popular area for fishing tournament weigh-ins. It will accommodate 20 large vehicles / those towing trailers and 48 standard vehicles. Two spaces are designated disabled parking. This lot is immediately adjacent to the fish return tube and a restroom facility, and is near hiking trails, a boat ramp, and a Ranger Station. En route, you will pass an RV dump station (can be used with proof of in-park camping) and fish cleaning station.
Paved parking lot will accommodate 14 standard vehicles and 46 oversized vehicles / those towing trailers. There are 2 designated disabled parking spaces that will accommodate vans. It is immediately adjacent to Ranger Station and accessible restrooms. It is near hiking trails and boat ramps, and an RV dump station (can be used with proof of in-park camping) and fish cleaning station are en route to this area. It is the most popular location for boating and fishing tournament
Paved parking lot will accommodate 14 standard vehicles and 46 oversized vehicles / those towing trailers. There are 2 designated disabled parking spaces that will accommodate vans. It is immediately adjacent to Ranger Station, several steel-roofed ramadas shading picnic tables, and accessible restrooms. It is near hiking trails and boat ramps, and an RV dump station (can be used with proof of current in-park camping) and fish cleaning station are en route to this area. It is the most popular location for boating and fishing tournaments. Kiosk is available outside Ranger Station to obtain lake use pass for motorized boats.
Paved overflow parking for 44 oversized vehicles / with trailer. Located near trailheads, boat ramp, Ranger Station, and comfort station. Trailhead for the 1/2-mile Green Trail Loop, which can be connected to the 1.3-miles Blue Trail Loop.
South (Blue Trail) Trailhead Parking for Diablo East Trail System. This parking is also shared with the fish cleaning station and RV dump station (must be currently camping in park to use), so please be mindful of the space needed for these activities.
Paved parking shared with a fish cleaning station and RV dump station (available to current, in-park campers). Please be mindful of this when parking to access the Diablo East South (Blue) Trailhead.
Large, paved parking lot will accommodate large vehicles and those towing trailers, as well as the standard family cars and vans. It is below the Governors Landing Campground and adjacent to a large picnic area with tables under the shade of tin-roofed ramadas. Lake Amistad can be accessed on foot from here, though it is a longer walk over rocky terrain when reservoir is low. Kayaks and canoes can be launched from here, especially when lake levels are up. There are no lifeguards on duty throughout the park; swim at own risk. Life vests/PFDs are strongly recommended.
Large, paved parking lot with one designated disabled accessible parking space suitable for a van, 8 standard vehicle spaces, and 32 pull-through spaces suitable for oversized vehicles or those towing a trailer. Multiple picnic tables shaded by large tin-roofed ramadas with grills are adjacent to the lot as is a fish cleaning station and Pecos Nature Trail. Not far from the comfort station/restrooms. Potable water available.
The Pecos Day Use Area has multiple picnic tables shaded by large, tin-roofed ramadas with grills. There is a nearby fish cleaning station and nature trail that runs between the upper and lower parking lots. The upper, day-use parking area is a paved with one designated disabled accessible parking space suitable for a van, 8 standard vehicle spaces, and 32 pull-through spaces suitable for oversized vehicles or those towing a trailer. The comfort station (restroom) is isolated, but there are 6 nearby, standard parking spaces. A fee kiosk for motorized boat lake use permits and potable water are located here. The paved lower lot has 25 standard vehicle spaces and 19 oversized / vehicle + trailer spaces. The paved area below that features 2 designated disabled parallel parking spaces and a historic ramada with seating built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The boat ramp has an information kiosk and may not be useful for motorized boats when the lake level reaches below 1083ft above mean sea level. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet attached to a person or fixed object, and their waste is picked up and disposed of in outdoor trash cans.
Very limited dirt parking area at end of campground for walk-in (tent) sites and trail. There are restrooms and fee kiosk where camping permits can be purchased with credit or debit card near this area in the main campground. Not suitable for oversized vehicles / vehicles + trailers.
Very limited dirt parking area at end of campground for walk-in (tent) sites and trail. There are restrooms and fee kiosk where camping permits can be purchased with credit or debit card near this area in the main campground. Not suitable for oversized vehicles / vehicles + trailers.
Limited, paved parking for Sunrise Trail. Property owners are allowing the three spaces nearest Highway 90 to be used for this purpose. Suitable for standard vehicles. The Sunrise Trail is approximately 1.5 miles long and connects the parking lot at 9685 Hwy 90 West to Spur 454. The hike begins on the Highway 90-side of the covered area but soon after cuts back toward the water. Located on the old Brite Ranch, there often is opportunity to view a variety of plants and birds.
Limited, paved parking for Sunrise Trail. Property owners are allowing the three spaces nearest Highway 90 to be used for this purpose. Suitable for standard vehicles. The Sunrise Trail is approximately 1.5 miles long and connects the parking lot at 9685 Hwy 90 West to Spur 454. The hike begins on the Highway 90-side of the covered area but soon after cuts back toward the water. Located on the old Brite Ranch, there often is opportunity to view a large variety of plants and birds on this hike. There are benches on which to sit and enjoy the sweeping views of the lake. The map also depicts where the shoreline is in relation to the trail when the reservoir is at 1117 feet above mean sea level (amsl) in lighter blue and 1100 feet amsl in darker blue. The park boundary is in red. The inset shows where the trail is in relation to San Pedro Campground.
The Visitor Center offers several park-related movies. _Transparent Border_ is the park's official movie about how the reservoir came to influence a relationship between the US city of Del Rio and Mexico's Ciudad Acuña. It is available in English and español and is 35 minutes long. The Visitor Center takes credit or debit card only and sells America the Beautiful National Park and Federal Lands passes, lake use passes, Amistad hunting permits, and camping permits. There is also a bookstore with souvenirs.
These trails at Amistad National Recreation Area will provide opportunities for wildlife watching, lake views, and quiet reflection.
Swimming at Amistad
Swimming and playing in the water at Governors Landing, and throughout the park, is popular during Amistad National Recreation Area's hot summers. Swimming is allowed throughout the park except at mooring locations, designated fishing locations, and boat ramps.
